Autumn Budget 2026: Set your 2027 practice prices now

We know repricing can be uncomfortable. Nobody enjoys writing the letter, and it is tempting to wait until after self-assessment season. But January is when many engagements roll over, and a price rise that lands mid-year is harder to explain and slower to collect.

UK practices should review and set their 2027 prices now, in the weeks after the Autumn Budget 2026, so they can agree new fees before January renewals and have them take effect at the start of the year. In fact, most firms are already planning to: 84% of UK accounting and bookkeeping firms intend to raise prices within 12 months, according to Ignition’s 2025/26 UK Accounting and Tax Pricing Benchmark.

The Budget on 28 October 2026 adds pressure to costs you already carry. Employer National Insurance is higher, the National Living Wage rises again in April, and Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for ITSA) widens to more sole traders and landlords in April 2027. If your fees stay where they are, your margin pays for all of it.

This guide covers what the Budget means for practice costs, what UK firms charge, how much to raise fees for 2027, how to tell clients, and how to roll out new prices across your whole client base without weeks of admin.

The Autumn Budget 2026 confirms that the cost of running a UK practice will keep rising into 2027. Payroll, inflation and new compliance work all affect what it costs to serve clients.

Payroll costs are structurally higher

Since April 2025, employers have paid secondary Class 1 National Insurance at 15% on earnings above the £5,000 threshold. The National Living Wage rose to £12.71 an hour in April 2026. The government has confirmed it will rise to £13.21 an hour from April 2027, adding further pressure across pay bands.

Inflation is running ahead of many fee rises

UK services inflation reached 3.7% in September 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics. Software subscriptions, insurance, rent and training all add to the cost of running a practice. A firm that holds fees flat while costs rise is taking a real-terms pay cut.

Regulation is adding work

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax applies from April 2027 to sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £30,000. Quarterly updates and year-end finalisation create more touchpoints, queries and review time. Scope this work and price it as a service, rather than absorbing it into an existing self-assessment fee.

January renewals are a natural moment to update fees: clients expect new terms at the start of a new engagement year. A mid-contract increase can feel like a surprise, while one included with a renewal is easier to explain.

1. Give enough notice. Allow 30 to 90 days; for a 1 January change, send letters in November or early December.
2. Plan around self-assessment. Settle fees before the January 31 deadline takes over the team’s workload.
3. Start collecting the new rate sooner. On a £300,000 fee base, a 5% rise is £15,000 a year. Every month delayed leaves £1,250 on the table.

Agreeing prices now also gives clients time to review and accept their updated engagement before the new year.

For most UK practices, a 5% to 10% increase can help cover rising costs and keep fees in line with the market. The right figure depends on what each service costs to deliver, so start with your numbers rather than choosing a percentage first.

Ignition’s 2025/26 UK Accounting and Tax Pricing Benchmark found that 84% of firms planned to raise prices within 12 months. Of those surveyed, 60% planned a 5% rise, 16% planned 10%, and 61% cited rising business costs.

1. Work out your real cost increase. Include salaries, employer NICs, pensions, software, rent, insurance and training.
2. Benchmark each service. Compare your fees with the latest UK pricing data. Use benchmarks as a starting point, not a ceiling.
3. Find work that regularly runs over scope. Review payroll changes, messy records and advisory time that has become an unpaid helpdesk.
4. Choose a firm-wide increase, service-level changes, or a mix. A baseline rise is simple; targeted changes help correct underpriced services.
5. Price MTD for ITSA separately. Make sure quarterly reporting is reflected in your fee, not absorbed into self-assessment.
6. Offer service options. Good, better and best packages let clients choose without losing the relationship.
7. Build in annual fee reviews. Include the process in your engagement terms, so future increases are expected.

Tell clients early, in writing, and explain the increase in terms of the value and continuity they receive, not just your costs. The Budget is a timely prompt, and many clients are facing similar cost pressures.

• What is changing and when: state the new fee and effective date, usually 1 January 2027 or the client’s renewal date.
• Why: briefly explain rising staffing costs, new compliance work such as MTD for ITSA and continued investment in service.
• What they get: remind clients of the work they may not see, from meeting deadlines to explaining Budget changes.
• Options: show alternative packages where available.
• Next step: give a clear date to review and accept the renewal.

Segment your approach. A long-standing client on a large engagement may appreciate a call before the letter; a client on a standard package may prefer a clear, friendly email. For key or price-sensitive clients, a one-to-one conversation can help address concerns early.

Renewing engagements in bulk with the increase built in can turn a client-by-client exercise into one reviewable process. For a practice with hundreds of clients, manual repricing means updating engagement letters, recalculating fees, emailing clients, chasing signatures and changing recurring invoices.

• Bulk renewals: create updated proposals for multiple engagements at once, carrying forward existing services and billing settings.
• Percentage-based adjustments: apply and round a percentage increase across selected renewals, then review each price before sending.
• Updated terms, accepted online: include annual review clauses and new fees in the renewal proposal.
• Billing that updates automatically: once accepted, new fees can flow to recurring invoices and payment collection.

In 2025, 91% of payments through Ignition were collected automatically, across more than 8,500 firms and agencies, according to CFOtech UK. A price rise only improves your margin if you collect it.

Set your 2027 prices while the Budget is still fresh

Most UK firms already plan to raise prices. Review your costs, benchmark each service, price MTD work properly and give clients enough notice before January renewals. With a clear plan, a fee review can take an afternoon rather than a month.

Ignition helps practices renew clients in bulk, apply price adjustments and automate billing and payment collection.